A tale of two comebacks

MOSES LAKE – The game was over. The stadium clock at Lions Field blared with the time reading triple zeroes. The Moses Lake Mavericks – who came back from 17 points down in the fourth quarter – rushed the field. Players jumped into the air and screams of cheer were let out from both the sideline and bleachers.

Until it wasn’t.

With the Mavs up 35-31, officials ruled that an Eastmont incomplete pass had left one second remaining on the clock, which the Wildcats used to pull off a 57-yard walk-off touchdown and win 37-35.

“It’s why this sport is the most amazing sport in the history of the world,” Moses Lake head coach Brett Jay said. “Because one second you could feel on top, and the next second it rips your heart out.”

Eastmont quarterback Luke Gale rolled out of the pocket on the game’s final play, escaping pressure and giving his receivers time to reach the end zone. The junior quarterback’s pass was initially deflected before falling into the hands of Eastmont junior Adrian Ruffins.

“Literally, one second,” Jay said. “There’s one second left in that game, and we went from league champs, the one seed, to, I think we’re the fourth (seed).”

The Mavericks were down 31-14 near the end of the third quarter, struggling to stop the Eastmont rushing attack. Freshman quarterback Brady Jay, Brett’s son, entered the game for Moses Lake for the second-straight week. The freshman led the Mavs to three-consecutive scoring drives, throwing for 164 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone.

“I’m so proud of him,” Jay said. “He’s been put in two tough situations these past two weeks, and he hasn’t blinked. He can rip it.”

The first of Brady Jay’s two touchdown passes was a quick throw in the flat to senior running back Maddox Gwinn, who ran 11 yards into the end zone. The second was to junior receiver Kyson Thomas, who also blocked a kick and had a pass on a gadget play to set up a two-yard rushing touchdown for senior quarterback Brock Clark on Friday night. Brett Jay showed his appreciation of the junior receiver after the game.

“He’s everything (to this team),” Jay said. “He’s a dude. Blocked field goals, touchdown catches, threw that pass at the end. He’s built for this.”

Clark’s touchdown was the score to put the Mavs up with only 45 seconds remaining.

“It’s surreal to come back, down three touchdowns,” Moses Lake senior Tell Rathbun said. “Especially all in the fourth quarter. To go up like that, everybody’s going. The whole sideline, the whole stands, everybody’s – it’s an insane feeling, I don’t know how to explain it.”

Eastmont took the ball to its own 43-yard line in the final minute to set up the hail mary throw. Gale had completions of 17 and 13 yards on the drive before the game-ending score.

The Wildcats dominated the game in the first half, gashing the Maverick defense in the ground game and on special teams. Eastmont senior Colby King found the end zone in the first quarter and junior running back Gunnar Peterson scored on a 72-yard run in the second quarter. The Wildcats also blocked a punt in the second quarter, returning it for a touchdown.

“If they get the angle on you, if you take one wrong step or your step’s not fast enough, they get an angle and they got a guy like Gunnar Peterson back there, or Colby King, and they’ll go at any second,” Jay said.

With the loss, Moses Lake falls to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Columbia Basin Big 9. Brett Jay said that he believes the Mavs will face off against Gonzaga Prep next week.

“The lessons for us is playing a four-quarter game,” Jay said. “We have yet to do that this year, it’s kind of been our deal. Once we get past that, we’ll be pretty good.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

Box score:

Eastmont 7-21-3-6

Moses Lake 7-7-0-21

Scoring plays:

First quarter

Moses Lake: Brock Clark five-yard touchdown pass to Noah Burns - Moses Lake 7-0, 5:04 remaining.

Eastmont: Colby King 10-yard run - 7-7, 3:47 remaining.

Second quarter

Eastmont: Blocked punt returned for a touchdown - Eastmont 14-7, 11:16 remaining

Eastmont: Gunnar Peterson 72-yard touchdown run - Eastmont 21-7, 1:45 remaining

Moses Lake: Brock Clark 13-yard touchdown pass to Joel Middleton - Eastmont 21-14, 0:41 remaining.

Eastmont: Luke Gale 25-yard touchdown pass to Adrian Ruffins - Eastmont 28-14, 0:05 remaining.

Third quarter

Eastmont: 28-yard field goal good - Eastmont 31-14.

Fourth quarter

Moses Lake: Brady Jay 11-yard touchdown pass to Maddox Gwinn - Eastmont 31-21, 10:30 remaining.

Moses Lake: Brady Jay 38-yard touchdown pass to Kyson Thomas - Eastmont 31-28, 7:15 remaining.

Moses Lake: Brock Clark two-yard touchdown run - Moses Lake 35-31, 0:45 remaining.

Eastmont: Luke Gale 57-yard touchdown pass to Adrian Ruffins - Eastmont 37-35, 0:00 remaining.